Guy Boutin's Motorcycle Touring and Travel Pages

Adventures in Sport Touring with the Honda ST 1100, 1300 and the BMW 1200RT

Exploring North America...One Road at a Time

Windows and Blinds
March 28th, 2004

I think one of the reasons I have such a strong connection to motorcycles, is the link they provide to my past.  Since 1969, two wheel travel has been a integral part of my life, except for the 10 years I was raising a son, running marathons, and coaching ball.  Even as I lived those years, I knew I would return to riding, and be better then ever.

My Honda CL 70 came into my life when I was 14.  A time when a young man can be heavily influenced by such people as athletes, actors, or other heroes.  I had the usual idolship of such characters, but the seed of motorcycle travel and exploring was planted at this young stage of my life.  It was I wanted to do. 

I yearned for the day I could experience the things I dreamed about in 9th grade math class.  I was shanghaied each morning at 10am into the confines of that dreadful scholastic box.  Second period to be exact.  What made it so bad was the room windows faced the parking lot and the quiet road out front.  Motorcycles had a designated parking area under a small tree near the driveway, and I could see my bike from my desk.  Almost every 14 year old male in Prattville had a motorcycle, it was a right of passage. When a boy turned 14 he got a bike, so the lot was full of all types and manufacturers.  Dirt bikes, street bikes, 2 strokes and 4 strokes.  Bridgestone, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, and the occasional Kawasaki were all represented.  At the time, Honda made the only 4 stroke.  When school was let out we rushed out and took off, looking like one of those mad dashes at the start of the Baja, 50 motorcycles jumping curbs, doing wheelies, and laying rubber escaping school.

It was excruciating painful on sunny spring days to sit there and look out the window.  My bike ( Honda CB 175) glistened in the sunlight and I could sense it calling my name, "Guy, Guy, lets go for a ride, the weather is good, time to go, time to be FREE."  

Mrs. Johnson was the teachers name.  A heavy set lady, that always seemed to be in a foul mood.  She had a limited wardrobe, and wore the same clothes on the same day.  Mondays the turtleneck, Tues the dark slacks etc.  in 9th grade I had no need for a calendar, I had math every morning with Mrs. Johnson.  She scolded me often for starring out the window, not paying attention to the numbers on the board.  "Just what do you find so interesting out there Mr. Boutin?" If I heard that line once I heard it a thousand times.

The windows were typical of any classroom.  Long and high, they afforded an excellent view of the world.  I could see trees greening up from a long winter, a blue sky, and a warm sun, and how those things would combine to make for a good ride out on County Line Road when the bell rings later that afternoon, signaling time to ride.

I looked out those windows and thought what it must be like to ride across the country.  No teachers, schedules, or homework.  I was going to be like Bronson, answering to no one.  I was going to see and do things others only talked about.   I didn't know when, but I was going to do it.  And now that I've done it, and now that I live it, I can say it is better than a 14 year old could ever have imagined.

Mrs. Johnson grew so perturbed at all the day dreaming going in her class, she began closing the blinds on some mornings.  It was a last ditch effort to keep me focused on the task at hand.  On the days I entered the class and saw the blinds closed, I went into near state of panic.  "M'am I gotta see the school nurse."  "What for?"   "Depression.  I thought today was Friday, but I see its Thursday because you have on the blue blouse.  I can only make it through a shut out day if its Friday."

To this day, I cannot stand a window to have the blinds closed.  My office, study, and greatroom are always open to the outside.  The first thing I do when I report to my office to begin my shift, is open the blind.  The lieutenant I relieve keeps them closed, says the light makes the monitor hard to see.  

Eating in restaurants I HAVE to sit so I can see the front door and the windows.  Noway I can eat facing a wall.

My motorcycles make me feel young.  In 2004 I can ride my 1300 over the same roads as the Honda 70 35 years ago, and no matter how many times I ride them, I still have the same thoughts as that 15 year old kid. 

The roads and highways of Alabama have been my playground for all these years.  Now all of North America is mine.  The roads of Autauga County are nothing special, certainly not when compared to all the famous highways I've been on the last 3 years, but still they are home, where I grew up, and where I learned to love riding.

Take today for instance, a lovely early spring day.  I drew the 1300 out of the garage and rode north to Coosa and Elmore Counties, stopping for chicken fingers in Wetumpka, before returning home by way of Montgomery.  About 100 miles.  Upon returning home, I promptly wheeled the 1100 out, and took off west to Selma.  I leaned the curves on CR 1 and went over to US 82, then took a short ride on County Line Road, putting down another 100 miles before calling it a day.  Why??  Because I can.  I no longer take orders from anyone.  If I want to spend the day riding around here I will, and if I want to streak to California, better not threaten me with more homework.  I paid my dues.

I thought about Mrs Johnson and math class today, as I crossed the Coosa River into Coosa County on SR 22.  I wondered what may have happened to her.  Did her outlook on life ever improve?  Is she still alive?  I sadly thought about her perhaps in some nursing home, the blinds closed to the outside world.  Closed, because looking out to the world only reminded her of the things she wanted to do and see, but never got around to it.  Now in the fading years of her life, she cannot bare to reminded, so she keeps the world out.  I hope that is not true.

Maybe she had a metamorphis in her later years, bought a RV and traveled America, or maybe she went into a less stressful field than teaching when she retired.  And now she is a "blinds open" person, because it reminds her of the world outside she DID see.

I know what position my blinds are in.